168 



THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. 



[Chap. 



^ladagasear. This is the more remarkable, as we have no 

 evidence yet of the existence in ]\Iadagascar of fresh-water 

 fishes common to Africa and South America. 



Again, tliat interesting island ^Madagascar is the home 

 of very singular and special insectivorous beasts of the 

 genera Centetes, Ericulus, and Echinops ; while the only 

 other member of the group to which they belong is Sole- 

 nodon, which is a resident in the West India Islands, 



r^ 



V.t\.i^>* 











■■■^j^::,j''\''-^-' ' 



Cuba and Ilayti. The connexion, however, between the 

 West Indies and ^Madagascar must surely have been at a 

 time when the great lemurine group was al)sent ; for it is 

 difficult to understand the si:>read of sucli a form as Soleno- 

 don, and at the same time the non-extension of the active 

 lemurs, or their utter extirpation, in such a congenial 

 situation as the West Indian Arcliipelago. 



